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Plug-in solar PV units should only enter the mass market when the necessary safety frameworks are in place, electrical industry bodies have warned.
A joint statement was issued by the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA), Electrical Safety First (ESF), the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC) and Scottish construction trade association SELECT. It is in reaction to the government’s announcement earlier this year about a raft of new energy and cost-of-living measures to “double down, not back down, on our mission for clean energy”, one of which is easy access to plug-in solar panels.
Popular in other European countries such as Germany, these low-cost portable panels can be placed on balconies or terraces and plugged into a mains socket to generate electricity for the home’s electrical system. In March, the government said it was working with retailers including Lidl and Amazon, alongside manufacturers such as EcoFlow, to bring these devices to the UK market “within months”. 
The statement from the trade bodies underlines that while they support wider access to cheap and clean energy, they are urging the government to “proceed with caution” and that these products “should only enter the mass market once the necessary regulatory, technical and product safety framework is fully in place”. 
Purchasers of a plug-in solar kit receive one or two solar panels and a micro-inverter. The panels are mounted in a sunny spot and plugged into a standard socket. The micro-inverter converts the DC power generated by sunlight into AC electricity, which flows back through the wall socket and into the local home grid where it is used to power appliances in the home.
The problem is that currently there isn’t a robust and enforceable UK standard for these products and how different manufactured types will interact with the existing electrical installations. For instance, the wiring in older properties may never have been assessed for this type of product and may have damaged or deteriorating electrical wiring unfit to carry extra load. This could lead to an increased risk of fire and danger to life.
“Before anyone buys a plug-in solar kit from a supermarket shelf, they need to be aware of the condition and capability of their home’s wiring. Many UK homes have ageing, modified or poorly maintained electrical installations. Introducing a generating source into wiring that hasn’t been checked could expose homeowners to risks that are not immediately obvious,” said Mark Coles, head of technical regulations at the IET.
“Before purchasing or plugging in any off-the-shelf-generation product, householders should have their electrical installation checked by a competent electrician. What may be safe in one home may pose a significant risk in another,” added Coles. 
Plug-in solar PV units should not be rolled out, said the statement, unless and until the supporting framework is in place: clear product standards, robust enforcement, competent installation pathways, appropriate consumer guidance and a mechanism to protect both householders and the electricity distribution network.
The appeal of plug-in solar PV units is that it is low-cost, visible and quick to deploy. But, as the statement warns, “a poorly regulated bargain product may reduce bills in the short-term, but it can also transfer risk onto households, emergency services, insurers, network operators and, ultimately, government. A rushed roll-out could potentially weaken confidence in the energy transition.”
 
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E-bike and e-scooter owners have been urged to use compatible chargers to power their devices due to fire risks.
Due to the risk of fires, batteries for e-bikes and e-scooters should receive third-party approval before being placed on the UK market, a charity has said.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has broken its silence over an increasingly common dangerous fault on the electricity network, after a member of the House of Lords intervened following an E&T article in February.
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WAGO is a global leader in electrical interconnection and open automation, supporting industrial and building engineers worldwide. With 75 years of innovation and 9,000 specialists, WAGO delivers safe, maintenance-free connectivity and scalable automation solutions built on open standards. From high-performance terminal blocks that speed panel build to automation, energy management and smart buildings, WAGO enables resilient, efficient and future-ready systems.
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Sponsored
WAGO is a global leader in electrical interconnection and open automation, supporting industrial and building engineers worldwide. With 75 years of innovation and 9,000 specialists, WAGO delivers safe, maintenance-free connectivity and scalable automation solutions built on open standards. From high-performance terminal blocks that speed panel build to automation, energy management and smart buildings, WAGO enables resilient, efficient and future-ready systems.
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